[BCMA] THANK YOU!! From the Maritime Museum of BC

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

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March 29, 2012
Dear BCMA Moderated Listserv,


THANK YOU!!

The Maritime Museum of B.C. is grateful for supporters like you, who are willing to back up their belief in the Museum and its mission with actual donations of funds. Thank you to all of our members, volunteers and supporters whose collective efforts have brought us within reach of our fiscal goal!!

We are proud to announce that the response to our appeal has been tremendous - we have received donations ranging from $50 to $2500, all being matched by a very generous long-time Museum supporter.  We are looking forward to a very bright 2012 fiscal year, with more new exhibits, more interesting programming, and even more of a strong presence in our community!

Please see below for some highlights of the past fiscal year.  We hope that you agree that our mission is well-served, and that we continue to fulfill our mandate of protecting and sharing the important Maritime heritage of British Columbia.

It is not too late to help us to achieve our fiscal goal before March 31st.   If you have not yet made a $100 contribution and wish to make a difference, please  follow the link below to make a direct contribution online.  Or phone the Museum office at (250)385-4222, local 115, and let us know that you would like to contribute. We will be happy to arrange to pick up your cheque from you at a time that is convenient to you.

Your support for the Maritime Museum of B.C. is important and appreciated!  Thank you again, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Staff and Volunteers, and on behalf of the citizens of B.C. for whom we work to preserve and promote our maritime heritage.


Jon Irwin, General Manager

Please follow this link to give now!
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=s11298




Highlights of 2011

Summary:

The Maritime Museum of British Columbia continued its service to the community through 2011 with new programming aimed at engaging our youth. Our presentations of public programs and exhibits in 2011 reached more people than ever before and gave the public improved access to our maritime history. Our overriding theme in 2011 was making the museum more accessible to all sectors of the community with a special emphasis on children's education programs.  What follows here is a brief outline of the highlights of our activities in 2011.


1.         Adventures at Sea Children's programs: This year we launched a new series of children's programs aimed at keeping kids engaged and learning during school holidays and summer vacation. Five separate themed programs were included in this series - Navigation, Pirates, Mythical Beasties, Life at Sea, and Deep Sea adventures. All included a hands on craft based component as well. These were presented at the museum and could be accessed on a drop in basis, thereby giving parents a great deal of flexibility.  We were pleased to host the Saanich Commonwealth Community Centre at an educational program that explored Pirate history in our area.  Children ages six to eight cannot get enough of Pirates!  Saanich Commonwealth Kiddie Capers Preschool also participated.


2.         Pirate School: Our annual Pirate School presented by Coast Capital Savings enjoyed another busy season in 2011, entertaining over 7,000 children and 5,000 adults in the Greater Victoria area. One of the highlights for the Pirate Crew was our participation in Canada Day celebrations in the Inner Harbor. Our Pirate School attracted 1245 children to this event which was a record Canada Day for us. In Saanich, we were delighted to be welcome 569 children at the Strawberry Festival and 2230 to the Saanich Fair in September.

3.         International Museum Days. The museum once again joined the international community of museums worldwide to offer the public a no-charge day access to our museum and to some of the special programs and displays we have available. This is a chance for greater Victoria residents to view our offerings and see exactly what we are all about. This year the event was held May 17. Special activities included an interactive display of marine life interpreted by local marine biologist Phil Lambert, a display on the ocean environments found around Vancouver Island presented by the Shaw Ocean Discovery center and a presentation on the science of sea water with hands on experiments for children to try.

4.         School and Library Outreach Programs:   This is an ongoing program where we visit local schools to present a program that highlights our Maritime Heritage. These presentations cover navigation equipment, food traditionally eaten on ships, and many other activities designed to educate and generate enthusiasm for our mandate.  A great example of this was a visit to St. Margaret's School in April.  Two programs were created based on the themes of "Pirates" and "Captain Cook and the Age of Exploration".    Programs were held at Central Saanich Library throughout the month of July.

5.         The Tilikum Anniversary: The Museum celebrated the 110th anniversary of the launching of the round the world cruise of the 38 foot sailing vessel the Tilikum. This small vessel crafted from a cedar log, made an historic crossing of the Pacific, south Atlantic and Atlantic oceans in 1901 -1904, ending up in England. It was resurrected and saved from destruction by local boat enthusiasts and later shipped to its original home port of Victoria, ending up at the Maritime Museum as our collection center piece in the late 1960's.

The Anniversary celebration, held in May 2011, included talks by local wooden boat specialists and the unveiling of new interpretive signage for the Tillicum display.

6.         Special Exhibits:  "What Lies Beneath:  The Past, Present and Future of Underwater Exploration"  This faxcinating new exhibit explores the history of diving as well as the incredible technological advances in exploring our vast ocean. Through VENUS and NEPTURE Canada, we are given a glimpse into this mysterious realm and gain a better understanding of how our world works.

7.         Starry Night Navigation:  this is a new program that looks at the history of Navigational techniques, tools, and developments. Included in this program, we teach the basics of navigating on the open sea. If weather permits, this program can be delivered on the water. The Museum has a partnership with a local Whale Watching company that supplies the boats. Alternatively, if the weather is no conducive to a late night voyage, we present the entire program indoors at the museum.

Ongoing Programming

In addition to the programs outlined above, the museum continues to deliver a series of educational and informational interpretive programs for both children and adults.

Included in this series are programs detailing the early development of Victoria and its harbor, The Hudson's Bay Company, Early Exploration of the Pacific Northwest, and early immigration and settlement of the west Coast. We also look at the history of transportation on the coast and the role of Canada's navy in our development.

Re- aligning our collections records

The museum has undertaken the task of updating its' collections records and inventorying the collection to ensure it meets modern museum collections standards. This is a project which is long overdue. With almost 60 years of collection activity behind us, we must ensure that all our records are up to date. We must also ensure that storage and conservation standards practiced in some areas years ago reflect modern standards today.


Updating our Exhibits

The museum is also in the process of updating our exhibits with a view to ensuring each and every exhibit has been properly maintained and serves the purpose we intend in our galleries. Activities in this area range from redoing out dated text panels to re-aligning display material and everything in between.

We also want to repair any signs of age on display cases themselves.

These are all very important initiatives. Our achievements are due to the hard work of staff, volunteers and trustees, and with thanks to the generous donations of our supporters.  Thank you for being a part of the Maritime Musuem of BC!

28 Bastion Square, Victoria BC, V8W 1H9, Canada  T: 250-385-4222  F: 250-382-2869  W: www.mmbc.bc.ca

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